My Black Dahlia
by Lady Skye 1992
Summary: This is a completely re-written, re-vamped story for a previous work of fiction. Bella recently found out about a little surprise while on vacation. Will she be able to surpass the evil within her life and move forward with her imprint? Or will she give up on him and leave her entire life behind for good? Rated M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: The Czar**

There was very few times where silence wasn't appreciated in Bella Swan's life. She bit her fingernails, thinking about how angry her father was. In previous experience her father only sat quietly when he really wanted to think about something grueling. Usually it was a punishment for some small thing that she forgot to do for him that day. Today, it was because her flight had been delayed two hours.

He was expecting her to be at the airport in Port Angeles at nine and had left after waiting for thirty minutes. Charlie Swan was not a patient man. He expected his breakfast every morning at six, a packed lunch that he could eat around noon and a fully cooked dinner by seven. All prepared by Bella in the hours between school, homework, house chores, and the few hours of sleep she was allowed to have.

Along with the strict schedule at home, she was also expected to maintain straight A's and perfect attendance. If a teacher commented anything less than Charlie's idea of exceptional, she had extra punishments added onto her daily dose. It was enough, having him as her father, but being that he was the chief of police she couldn't get in any sort of trouble for fear that one of the deputies would report it to Charlie.

It took her months of convincing to get permission to fly out to her mom's house in Phoenix. The added brutality barely made the trip worth it. Renee had been excited to see her only daughter, but the mini vacation had a rain cloud over Bella the entire time. She knew that she would have to return back to Forks and the only life she really knew.

By the time they arrived home, Charlie still hadn't said anything about the delay or her being gone at all. It made each passing second that much worse. Bella couldn't think of anything to bring up the topic or muster an apology for the captain's mistake. Sometimes she figured that it was best to let him think it through in his head and take whatever punishment he dealt. It was easier than fighting and arguing until something broke.

The trucks lights brightened the faded yellow paint on the outer walls of the house, showing the grime accumulated throughout the years. _Great another thing he'll have me clean_, Bella thought, wincing as Charlie slammed his door and headed inside. She followed slowly, hoping to prolong the inevitable fight.

The stench of musty beer and burnt cigarette butts made Bella cringe as she opened the front door. Not a thing had changed except the house was messier than usual. Charlie had already grabbed a cold beer and was sitting in his recliner watching the last bits of a sports game. There were piles of empties around him, rattling whenever he moved in his chair.

Bella set her bag down and grabbed the trash can, figuring she would at least make the house clean before he set in on her. It didn't take long to get the trash and empty cans out of the house, a daily habit that became second nature. The dishes were the hardest part, most of the plates had crusted food on them and both parts of the sink were full.

The entire time she cleaned, she kept an ear out for Charlie's movement. She knew if he got mad enough, his footsteps would slam on the floor and thud into the kitchen. At any moment the game would end and leave two possible outcomes. She hoped he would fall asleep in the chair, having been too drunk to remember what happened the night before. In the back of her mind, she knew she wouldn't get that lucky.

It took her over two hours to finish cleaning the house and put everything away. In that time Charlie remained silent and fell asleep after his game. Bella prepared his lunch for the next day and put a steak in a marinade pan for his dinner that night. She left him a note apologizing and covered him with a blanket before going to bed. It would be a long night, if Charlie woke up in the middle of it and realized that she was in her room before him.

xXxXxXx

Bella awoke, startled, when her alarm rang at five thirty. She stretched groggily and tip toed downstairs to begin making Charlie's breakfast. As the bacon sizzled she thought about her dream and how insane it had been. By six, Charlie walked into the kitchen dressed for work and grabbed his coffee off of the counter. He sat and ate, staring at Bella. She couldn't decide if it was a good or a bad sign.

At half past six Charlie left for work and Bella cleaned the morning dishes before eating her own breakfast. She poured a bowl of cereal and thought more about her dream and the realities that had been revealed in Phoenix.

Her mother had been diagnosed with cancer and was attending chemo therapy every few days. Phil, her new husband, was taking good care of her and most days she sat on their patio reading. She also found out about Phil's children from a previous relationship. She had fun playing with them and enjoyed being carefree for once. It made her sad to leave them for the second time, though the first was hard, the second time made her want to stay even more.

The biggest shock had been when she passed out beside the pool at the community center. They'd been relaxing after a day in the city. The lifeguard had called for an ambulance and when they were in the emergency room the doctors revealed that she was pregnant. It was one of the few times her heart dropped into her stomach.

Renee was excited and Phil kept trying to convince her to stay with them. She told them that she really wanted to but that Charlie needed her back in Forks. She was really trying to convince herself that if she stayed, Charlie would send the Calvary to drag her back to his house. It was really hard to keep the sadness and stress out of her voice when talking and she almost let slip the activities going on at her dad's house.

This made her think about the events that put her in the situation she was in. There was only one possibility as to who the father was and it wasn't someone that would be happy at the news. She had made friends with some of the guys on the reservation, one town over. Her best friend, Jacob, had introduced her to some of his friends.

When Bella first moved here, Jacob made the move and they lost virginities to each other. Knowing that it was just a one-time thing, they remained friends and planned a day for them to hang out each week. During her junior year, she started a small fling with another one of the guys in the group. They kept it up for a while until he wanted to get serious and she explained that she couldn't. He started dating one of the girls in her class at school and she kept hanging out with them. Then she met Paul. He was the first person to bring up the things her dad did to her. She never figured out how he knew but from the first conversation she couldn't get her fill of his company.

It didn't matter if she wanted to be with him or not, she knew that they wouldn't work together. He liked being by himself most of the time and only talked when he had something to share. It made her tear up thinking that he wouldn't see her the same if he found out that she was pregnant. It didn't help matters that she'd seen him with Jacob's sister multiple times on the reservation.

She finished her breakfast and tidied up the rest of the house before locking up and taking a walk in the woods behind the house. It wasn't until her alarm rang on her phone that she paid attention to time.

xXxXxXx

She had just put the finishing touches on dinner when Charlie's cruiser pulled into the driveway. She set his steak and baked potato at his spot on the table and put a cold beer in his cozy. She welcomed him home with a smile and patiently waited while he finished eating. She asked about work and he grumbled small responses. He mentioned that it was busy and a lot of "good" kids were getting into trouble during the summer months.

She was careful not to mention her time with her mom or any of the revelations from the trip. At the end of the meal, Charlie commented that it was delicious and turned on that night's ball game. He grabbed the case of beer and stayed in his den. Bella cleaned up the mess and ate her own portion of dinner before going upstairs to relax.

In the middle of the game, the phone rang and Bella heard Charlie's fake hello. Her stomach twisted when the receiver slammed into its holder and the dreaded thuds ebbing closer and closer to Bella's door. "Isabella Marie Swan!" he yelled, making her jump.

She timidly opened the door and stood with her head pointed down. She had memorized every line in the wood floor over time. It was always a bad idea to look in his eyes when he was angry. "Yes sir?" she whispered, going over every possible instance where she could have made him mad.

He sucked in a deep breath before grabbing the back of her shirt and pushing her up against the wall. "You're mother just called… asked how you were doing. She mentioned," he paused to hiccup, words slurred, "that you found something out…" He emphasized his anger by pulling her away and slamming her back into the wall.

Bella's stomach clenched harder realizing that Charlie had found out. He kept on his ramble and slammed her head into the wall a few more times. She knew that resisting him would only make it worse on herself; she let her body relax and dropped to the floor. Instinctively she curled into a ball to somewhat protect herself from his kicks.

Her back took most of the blows, his shoes opening old wounds. It was a shock that nobody else had seen the healing bruises, but Charlie had become an expert at hiding the abuse from everyone in town. He'd expected Bella to be able to do the same. She refused to cry out, even though the pain was unbearable. It only fueled his rage and made things worse.

It felt like a lifetime had gone by when Charlie tired of ranting and kicking her. When he finally stumbled into his room to sleep of the beer and anger, Bella crawled into her bathroom and began washing off the blood.

She cried as she scrubbed herself in the shower then as she cleaned the floor and broken pieces of drywall. In lieu of the pain she managed to make the damage look presentable and was even able to make Charlie's lunch for the next day before wrapping herself in her blankets and falling into a pain induced sleep.

xXxXxXx

Bella woke earlier than usual and quietly made Charlie's breakfast before he woke up. She made herself scarce as he ate furiously. He slammed the door on the way out and sped out of the driveway after telling her to fix the wall before he got home. She couldn't imagine where she'd get the necessary pieces of drywall or the plaster.

She sighed and picked up her phone, hoping that Jacob or one of his friends had what she needed. He picked up on the first ring with a chirpy "hey Bells."

"Hey, I have a…. weird question." She started, pausing to take a deep breath. "One of the walls needs fixing and I don't have anything to fix it with. Do you know where I can get them?"

Jacob took no time to tell her that they had some in the garage and proceeded to talk a mile a minute about what he'd done while she was gone and how they needed to hang out. Before they ended the call he said he would head out in a few hours with some of the guys and they'd get the wall fixed in no time. Bella was in tears and quietly thanked him before going up to replace her bandages.

She lost track of time and jumped when the front door opened while she was prepping dinner for that night. Once she caught her breath she called out, "Hey Jake," and turned around. She instantly felt dizzy when she saw Paul standing next to him. "Hi."

"Hey Bells. Where's the wall?" Jake asked, pushing forward with a large sheet of drywall and a bucket of plaster. She pointed up the stairs and sat at the table. "Thanks." He headed up yelling for Paul to bring in their tool box.

"I guess I'll make you boys something to eat…" Bella cleared her throat and turned away from Paul. She couldn't deal with seeing him so soon after finding out about the baby.

The guys worked quickly and were scarfing down the sandwiches she made within the hour. They each asked for more and downed two extra sandwiches and a bag of chips they'd brought for themselves. "When are you gonna come out to the Rez?" Jake asked between mouthfuls of peanut butter, bread, and chips. "You were gone almost two months ya know."

She nodded and kept herself occupied by washing their dishes and finishing the preparations for Charlie's dinner. "I know. I just got back last night and I haven't had the chance to call you until today." She covered, drying her hands on the spare hand towel hanging from the oven door. "It was hard readjusting to the time zone change." She added.

Paul stretched out and propped his legs on an adjacent chair. "We've been getting things ready for the fall bon fire." He cracked his knuckles and smiled. "It'd be a shame if you missed out."

It was at her first bon fire that Paul had made his move. A few years had passed since she had moved to Forks and barely felt comfortable at the time. They had had small flings on and off after the first bon fire she attended and each year he reminded her of the next one. She nodded at his statement and blushed when Jacob pointed out the obvious. "You two should just shack up." He laughed, nudging Paul's arm.

Bella was about to say something when she heard Charlie's door slam outside. "You guys might want to go." She concluded, handing them their jackets. "I don't know how he'd take company right now. Thank you, by the way; for fixing that wall."

The boys mentioned that it wasn't a problem and on their way out they greeted Charlie. Jacob stopped him for a moment and mentioned that his own father wanted to plan a fishing trip with Charlie and Harry. They found a day that worked and the guys left with the promise to tell Billy the arrangement. Bella quickly put his dinner on the table and disappeared to her room. After an episode like one the night before, Charlie liked to eat alone and would make her stay in another room until he was ready to speak his mind.

He showed his lack of enthusiasm by throwing his plate and cup into the sink and turning the night's game on loud. Bella could hear each sound through the walls and doors separating them. He never let his anger get ahold of him like he was now. Bella grabbed her phone and huddled in the far corner of her room.

She waited until late in the evening to go downstairs and clean the mess that Charlie had created. After only being back for two days, she already missed Phoenix like crazy. Thankful that he had gone to bed without incident, Bella made quick work of the cleaning and prepared for the next day. Before going to bed, she listened to the missed voicemails on her phone.

The first few were from her mom saying how she loved and missed her. Bella made a mental note to call her after she woke up and deleted the messages. The last one shocked her. She heard Paul's voice asking her to call him when she could. She heard the strain in his voice and could only wonder what he needed to talk to her about. At the end of the message she heard a muffled voice ask him a question, followed by a quick answer and the click of him ending the call.

She barricaded her door and fell into an uneasy sleep, doubts and questions running through her mind. She knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep easy without knowing what was going on one town over.

A/N: So I am back. I am revamping this story so that I can make it better and full of detail. Thank you to everyone that has reviewed and read this story. I read every single one of them, even if I don't reply. I hope to update weekly if not every few days but I will have a stock of chapters finished to keep the updates coming.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Into The Night**

Bella woke with a start as Charlie banged against her bedroom door. She could instantly tell that he was angry without even hearing his yells. He screamed through the door that she was lucky he had to work early and that he would deal with her later. She waited until she heard his cruiser pulled out of the driveway before venturing downstairs to look at the previous night's destruction.

Charlie had broken his plate and cup in the sink leaving shards of glass on the counter and floor. His beer cans were scattered around the living room and kitchen along with ashes from the ashtray and old butts littering the floor. He must have gotten up earlier than usual to recreate the mess she had already cleaned up.

He left a note on the counter telling her each task she was to complete before he arrived home with specific instructions to turn away any visitors. It didn't take long to pick up the mess and Bella had dinner in the oven before the clock struck one. She decided on a slow cook pot roast dinner, hoping to appease Charlie and his temper. To top it off she started on his favorite dessert, German chocolate cake with a rich pecan frosting.

As she sat down she called her mom and quickly reassured her that she was fine and showed her irritation toward her telling Charlie about the baby. With her mother's apologies and promises to visit Forks soon, Bella told her that she loved her and hung up the phone. After the call she started crying, wishing that she could leave Charlie and go back to her mom and Phil's.

Finally, she couldn't put off the dreaded phone call any longer. She dialed Paul's phone number and let it ring four times before hanging up. She didn't want to leave him a voicemail and play phone tag for an unknown amount of time. She tossed her phone on the couch and added more finishing touches to Charlie's dinner.

An hour later she heard her ringtone go off and was able to blindly answer it on the last tone. "Hello." She muttered into the receiver, hoping that it wasn't Charlie calling to check in on her.

"Hey Bells, its Paul." Her breath caught in her throat as she heard his rough voice on the other end. "I wanted to talk to you more last night but I'm assuming Charlie kept you busy." He always tried to play off her father's abuse lightly, not wanting to force her into admission.

She took a couple of breaths before answering, "yeah he wasn't too happy that you and Jacob were over. Not to mention I didn't get up to make breakfast this morning."

Paul was the only person that understood her predicament with Charlie, having grown in an abusive household himself. "Listen, about that. I was really thinking about what Jacob said in the kitchen." He stayed silent for a moment, letting her remember the conversation. "Look I don't know what you want to do but-"

"Stop." She cut him off. "I don't want to mess anything up between us. There's a lot going on in my life that I'm sure you don't want to deal with." She cleared her throat and wiped the tears running down her cheeks away.

"Bella, Charlie called me last night. He was really drunk so I didn't understand most of the things he said but one thing he did say is…" he paused again making Bella's heart thud in her throat. "Are… are you pregnant?" He asked; his sentence rushed.

She didn't know how to answer his question. The sudden realization of hearing the words come through his mouth shocked her. "I- I don't… How… How did…" She let her voice trail off, stunned beyond coherent sentences. She took a few more breaths and thought about what to say. "Can we talk… in person?" She finally asked.

Paul agreed and said he'd be there within the hour. Bella changed into a pair of comfy sweats and a hoodie. She wasn't prepared for the upcoming conversation, knowing that he wouldn't want to be anywhere near her.

He was true to his word and arrived shortly before three. His old truck rattled as he pulled in and the door left a resounding clang when it shut. He let himself in and found Bella sitting in the couch, watching one of the many news programs on TV. She looked up at him as he walked in and sat in Charlie's chair.

They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before Paul moved to the edge of the chair and placed a hand on her leg. "Bella, you can't hide from me." He whispered; voice soft and rough at the same time.

She could hear the desperation for an answer in the way he talked. "Paul," her voice cracked as she moved away from him and curled her feet underneath her. "I found out when I was at my moms." She confirmed for him, her body shaking uncontrollably. "I fainted at a pool and when I was in the emergency room the doctor told me about it."

The force that Paul used to eject himself from the chair was astounding. Bella had never seen anyone get up and walk away as quickly as he did. Her face turned red as she realized that her suspicions were true. The actual confirmation was more heartbreaking than just thinking about what he would do. The last thing she expected was for him to walk away. She watched his truck pull out of the driveway before setting Charlie's dinner plate and drink up.

xXxXxXx

Charlie was solemn as he ate his dinner. He kept his anger at bay and told her through gritted teeth that if she forgot or neglected any of her duties again, she would get a worse punishment than on her second night home. Without saying anything further he finished his dinner and retired to his den to watch the game.

Bella was in shock at how calm Charlie was and didn't know what to do with the politeness he emitted. She cleaned the kitchen and made him a lunch of leftovers to take with him on his group fishing trip. She packed extra for Billy and Harry before turning out the lights and taking her own dinner to her room.

She booted up her computer and checked her email while eating. There were a few updates from her mom and a couple of spam letters for social networking websites. After she finished eating she checked her phone and found that she missed calls and texts from both Paul and Jacob. It had been hard enough talking to Paul in person and seeing him leave without having to read his text messages or listen to his voicemails.

Jacob had called to remind her that Charlie was going fishing the next day and that the men were going to rent a room at the local hunting lodge to spend the weekend up there. He ended by asking if she wanted to spend time on the reservation. She sent him a quick text agreeing to hang out with him after she finished her chores.

Paul's messages had a different tone to them. The first few were angry that she had kept something from him and the last ones apologized for his actions. He also asked to see her that weekend and talk more about the current situation.

Bella started shaking after reading the texts and decided to delete them all. She didn't want the reminder that she had failed in the biggest possible way. She had to fall asleep before her mind went haywire and brought up every devastating event that she could remember. It was hard enough dealing with Charlie and his constant demands on a daily basis. Adding everything else in almost made her fall off the edge.

xXxXxXx

Bella woke early and had Charlie's breakfast ready before he woke up. He grunted a rare "thanks" before heading out the door on his fishing trip. She tidied the house and took a quick nap in the living room before Jacob was supposed to head over to pick her up.

He started her when the door opened as she was sleeping. It took her a few moments to calm down after playfully smacking his arm and chastising him for walking in without knocking. "Jacob you can't just walk in on someone like that." She handed him a glass of water and munched on a slice of toast.

"I know Bells," he grinned, "I just figured you would be awake instead of sleeping this late." He grabbed her other piece of toast and ate it before she could grab it back. "What do you want to do today?" He asked as he washed the toast down with water.

"I just want to relax for a little while. Charlie's out of the house for the weekend and I rarely get a chance by myself."

Jacob nodded in understanding and told her his own plans for the day. "I planned on going to First Beach to play some ball with the guys. I figured you might want to join and get a little bit of the sunshine." He picked her up without waiting for an answer and put her in the passenger seat of his dad's truck.

Before she knew it, they were on their way to the reservation. As each mile passed beneath him, Bella could feel her stomach twisting tighter and tighter. She fretted over the thought of Paul being at the beach with Jacob and his other friends. She wasn't sure if she was ready to see him again after he left so quickly. They listened to the radio on the drive and Bella stared out the window at the ever changing forest surrounding Forks and the reservation.

"Who's going to be there?" She asked nonchalantly. She wasn't trying to hide her curiosity but she didn't want Jacob to know what she was specifically hinting at.

"Just the usual guys. Paul, Embry, and Quil agreed to meet up for a quick game. Jared started hanging around Sam and his group of misfits so he hasn't been around lately." His voice got quiet. He had told her about Sam Uley and his group of misguided youths. He talked about them with a great amount of disdain, almost regret.

"I'm sure Jared will come back to play ball games with you and the guys." She reassured him, patting his shoulder. "What am I supposed to do while you guys have your time?" She asked as they neared the familiar pebbled parking lot to the beach.

"Well you can watch." He answered as if it was the most obvious statement in the world. "I mean, we do need a cheerleader." He laughed as he parked the old truck in the sand. "It's not like we do anything but throw a ball around and fall down a lot."

They walked down the path laughing together. Bella had never felt as carefree as she did in that moment. It was as if she had no troubles with Charlie or in general. The dreadful feeling in her stomach returned full blast when Bella overheard Paul joking with one of the other guys. Jacob all but dragged her the last few feet before she decided on a spot to sit down and watch their game. The weather wasn't perfect but it was better than the constant wind and rain. "Have fun." She told him, her eyes trying not to stray toward Paul.

xXxXxXx

Their game lasted well over an hour with Quil and Jacob's team winning by a point. The boys agreed to meet up later for dinner at Sue's diner and went their separate ways. Quil and Embry stalked off toward the woods leaving Paul and Jacob on the beach with Bella. The three sat in an awkward silence broken only by the sound of sand sifting through Bella's hands.

Jacob was the first to break the silence by telling them that he was going to take a quick swim in the ocean. Bella never understood how they could stand the cold water but never told them to quit swimming. She dreaded being left alone with Paul since he left her house in a rush.

"Look if you don't want to be around me, fine. Just don't expect me to be around after your choice." She told him quickly. "I don't care what happens but I'm not going to be treated like that." She was nearly crying and wanted to curl up in her bed before anything else happened.

Paul sat quietly beside her, thinking. She always knew when the wheels were turning in his head. "I didn't even know you were seeing someone else."

At that point, Bella's jaw dropped. She couldn't come up with any sort of response to what he'd claimed. Thankfully Jacob spared her an embarrassing scene by walking up and saying it was time for dinner. Bella's stomach rumbled sealing the deal as the three headed toward the diner.

The boys talked about everything under the sun as Bella picked at her hamburger and fries, contemplating what Paul had told her on the beach. She didn't understand how he got from her being pregnant to her "seeing" another person. She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize the table had gotten quiet and everyone was staring at her. "What?" She asked, picking up a fry and biting it for emphasis.

"Why are you acting so weird?" Quil asked, earning a smack from Jacob and Paul. "Come on, we're all thinking it! Ever since you got back from Phoenix it's like we don't even matter anymore; like you don't want any of us to be around!"

Bella was about to start an argument with him when Jacob started shaking, his fists clenched tightly in a ball. "How dare you!" He yelled at Quil, standing up abruptly. "She has enough to deal with right now without you trying to piss her off!" He slammed his drink on the table and stormed out the door, disappearing into the darkness.

Quil and Embry tried to follow after him but returned moments later saying they didn't see which way he went. The duo decided to check out his house and garage before going home for the evening; leaving Paul alone with Bella once again.

She sat in silence, the anger emitting from Jacob still fresh in her mind. She had never seen him get that angry in her entire life. It was a strange emotion from such a happy person that she was offset by the fact that his temper lost control. "I should go home." She sighed, picking up her jacket and shrugging it on. "By the way…" she paused for emphasis, "the baby is yours."

She stalked out the door and started walking toward Forks. It wouldn't take her too long to walk home though she wasn't looking forward to it. It wasn't the easiest walk to trek, especially at night. She didn't want to get mauled by a wild animal but the thought of having to stay in the diner with Paul fueled her drive to get home.

She knew she left Paul in utter disbelief; the shock on his face had been enough confirmation. She didn't want him around when he finally did blow up about being "trapped" with her for the rest of his life. It was the same thing Renee had said of Charlie when she divorced him.

She made it home a little after midnight, feet sore and legs aching. It was warm in the house, thankfully, and Bella relaxed in the bathtub without worrying about Charlie's temper. She slept comfortable in her bed, the first since leaving Phoenix. She dreaded having to go back to the harrowing routine when Charlie returned from his fishing trip. Without dwelling on the negative thoughts she drifted away peacefully.

A/N: Thank you for continuing onto the next chapter of this fanfiction. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Please leave your comments on the way out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Criminal**

Bella was able to keep Charlie at bay for two weeks after coming back from Phoenix. It seemed that his fishing trip changed his attitude for that moment. He arrived home smiling and even took her out for dinner in town rather than have her cook a meal. It was nice to have time to spend outside of the four walls of Charlie's house. They talked about normal things and when they got home went their separate ways.

She knew it was too good to last, though. On the fifteenth day after the fishing trip, Charlie went out to the bar with a few deputies and came home drunker than normal. What made it worse is that she hadn't heard from Jacob or Paul in that time span and she knew nobody was going to be able to help her.

Charlie started the night by yelling about his dinner, forgetting that he had eaten it prior to going out. Bella tried reasoning with him, earning a backhand across her cheek. He kicked her feet from beneath her and dragged her through the halls into the den. He picked her up by the throat and threw her onto the coffee table.

She felt the glass break beneath her and instinctively rolled off it onto the floor. She was barely able to crawl when Charlie bent down, gun in hand. "I should just do it." He growled, pointing the gun at her temple. He stood and swayed on his feet, kicking glass shards and dust at her. "You're worthless anyway."

Her eyes were wide, watching his every move. She knew she wouldn't be able to run if he was really planning on shooting her, she could only hope that she could deter him. Bella remained silent as he stumbled around the den and kitchen. He grabbed random items from each room and tossed them at her as she lay on the floor, dodging the heavier ones.

He kept destroying the house until he'd burnt himself out, passing out in his room after hours of angry outbursts. Bella felt blood seep through cuts and scrapes she'd obtained during his tantrum. She felt a painful tearing in her stomach that made her double over. She cursed quietly hoping to get to the bathroom or her own bedroom without waking Charlie. She made it to the stairs when she heard a knock on the door.

Her vision was already blurring as she saw a tall figure walk into the house and rush over to her. She groaned as he lifted her up and carried her out. She recognized his smell but was too disoriented to connect smell to name. She vaguely noticed being placed in a vehicle or driven toward the hospital. When she saw the large ER sign her hand feebly reached toward the wheel of the vehicle. "No…" she groaned, fumbling with the seat belt.

Despite her protests, she was carried into the emergency room where nurses rushed her into a room and began taking vitals and shards of glass from her body. She could hear them talking to whoever brought her in and they gave a medical history. She closed her eyes, the bright lights of the hospital making her head pound. She tried to stay awake but lost the battle with sleep, beeping and mechanical noises surrounding her as she drifted off.

xXxXxXx

Bella woke groggily to a nurse changing gauze on her arms and talking to somebody in the room. She quickly remembered what had happened the night before and tried sitting up. If she didn't get home, Charlie would be even more pissed. "Lay down Ms. Swan." The nurse told her, gently reclining the bed. "You can't go anywhere just yet." She continued fixing bandages and sheets until there was nothing left to do in the room. "I'll send your doctor in."

She let her eyes wander around the room, noticing who the nurse had been talking about. Paul was sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair, head bowed. His legs were bouncing in anticipation. Bella couldn't help but notice that he'd cut his hair. His hands were folded together, pressed against his forehead. It almost looked as if he was sleeping.

"Hello Ms. Swan." Bella jumped when the doctor let himself in, clipboard in hand. "You needed stitches in multiple places and had several lesions containing an infection. We were able to clean everything up but we do have a few questions for you." He looked at the board and scribbled something before continuing. "Who did this to you?" He asked, seating himself on the stool beside her bed.

"Nobody." She answered shortly. He wouldn't believe her if she told him the truth anyway. "Can I go home?"

The doctor rubbed his forehead and turned to Paul. "He told us a few things that caused some concern, Ms. Swan. First being that you're pregnant. We did an ultrasound and saw a few tears in the placenta, where it connects to your uterus. With medication, they should stabilize and the pregnancy will go as expected. Secondly," he paused while checking his notes, "we know you can't go back to your house."

Bella tried sitting up, her arms feeling like jelly. "I'm fine. I just want to go home." She didn't feel like answering any of the questions the doctor prepared to ask her. There was nothing that they could do to help her situation anymore.

"If you don't tell them, Bella, I will." Paul grumbled from his chair, hands brushing his face as he looked up. His grey eyes piercing into hers. He waited a few minutes before turning to the doctor. "It was her dad. I walked in on him pointing a gun to her head after throwing her onto the table in their living room. I brought her here…" He trailed off, his body trembling fiercely.

The doctor needed no confirmation as tears swelled in her eyes. He quickly exited the room mentioning phone calls he needed to make. Bella glared at Paul, her own fear overtaking the rationality. "How could you!?" She cried, thankful that she couldn't move. "You've signed my death certificate, I hope you know that!" she yelled louder. She felt herself get angrier the longer he refused to look at her.

"What was I supposed to do!?" He growled, towering over her within seconds. "Let you die? Sit back and watch as that asshole killed you? Killed the both of you?" He was shaking harder now, eyes flashing black. "Why don't you understand me? I tried saving you."

She put her hand on his arm, immense heat rising from it, and looked at him. "I'm sorry Paul. He won't give up and his deputies won't arrest him. The only hope left for me is to leave, and even then there isn't much hope." She turned her head and glanced at the doorway. "How did you even know what happened?" She asked, slightly changing the topic.

"I followed Charlie home from the bar. He had his friends drop him off and I knew that if I wasn't behind him, he could do much worse. Unfortunately, I got a little distracted and broke in too late to stop him. That's when I picked you up and drove you here." He answered honestly, grabbing her hand in his. "I didn't know what else to do. You stopped breathing and… and there was so much blood…"

Bella sighed, rubbing her thumb against the back of his hand. She didn't have words for what he'd just admitted. There was nothing for her to say except to thank him for saving her. They sat in silence until the doctor came back in with her release papers. He mentioned that he'd called and reported the abuse to Washington State police instead of the local enforcement center and handed her a card with the investigators number on it.

Paul pushed her out the doors in the wheelchair Billy lent him and drove her to the reservation. He told her about meeting Sam after she walked out of the diner and how Jacob, Embry, and Quil each followed suit. None of them wanted to hurt her after she'd freaked out that night. He pulled into his own driveway and helped her up the porch, into the living room.

He made her soup for lunch and tucked warm blankets and pillows around her to make her more comfortable. "I have to go out for a little bit today, want me to send someone over to hang out with you?" He asked, not wanting her to be alone for Charlie to ambush her. "I can ask Jake or someone if you want."

Bella nodded mouth full of noodles and broth. "It'd be nice to see Jacob again." She answered after swallowing. "Just tell him not to ask questions." She added eating more of her soup. She didn't realize that she could be so hungry.

Paul made the phone call and said that Jacob would be over before he had to leave for his meeting. He handed her the television remote and told her to watch whatever she wanted and to relax. Jake arrived shortly after and bounced in the recliner, excited to see Bella once again. Paul pulled him to the side and gave him Bella's instructions along with some of his own. He let him know that Charlie wasn't allowed in the house and if he asked for Bella, they hadn't seen her in a few days. He didn't explain any further and left him guessing what had happened.

Bella had chosen a reality show to watch on TV while Jake talked a mile a minute about new things on the reservation, plans for the bon fire, and a girl he had a crush on. She prodded him for more details and he explained that she was a new girl on the reservation and that everyone in the "gang" wanted to hang out with her. He accentuated that she especially wanted to spend time with him because she always smiled at him when they talked and nobody else.

She couldn't help but laugh at his naivety and made him promise not to forget about his friends when he got married to the mystery girl. He scoffed at the idea but made Bella giggle when his face turned red. They joked around for a while until Bella handed him the remote and said she was taking a nap. She shook her head as he turned it to one of the numerous cop shows and fell into an uneasy sleep.

xXxXxXx

She woke to whispered voices talking in a different room and it took her a moment to remember where she was. Everything came rushing back to her making her woozy. She sat up carefully and followed the voices until she reached the hallway. Bella carefully shuffled toward an open door and gently pushed it so she could see who was talking. Paul had his back to her and was telling Jacob and another person about his meeting. She only caught a snippet of the conversation when he turned around and smiled. "Glad you're awake Bells." He walked over and helped her join them. "Sam this is Bella, Bella this is Sam Uley."

Sam nodded at her and continued speaking with Jacob about a plan for something while Paul scooped her up and took her to the kitchen. "Time to eat." He fixed her a sandwich and handed her a glass of juice along with two white pills. "Your doctor said to take two pills twice a day." He watched as she ate and looked at her bandages. "He also said to have someone change these every few days. Sue, Harry's wife, is the nurse at the schools here. I can ask her, if you want."

Bella ate her sandwich quietly and agreed to have Sue look at the wounds she sustained. She felt tired after taking her medication and walked with Paul as he helped her onto the couch again. "What about Charlie?" She asked quietly, unsure of what was going on in Forks. The last thing she wanted was for him to search high and low for her, harming anyone in his path.

"Don't worry about him. He hasn't stopped by the Rez and nobody he talks to knows about what happened." Paul covered her with a thick blanket, tucking the edges beneath her chin. "I won't let him hurt you anymore." He promised, turning the TV to a different channel. "Get some rest." He left the room, rejoining the conversation between Sam and Jacob.

She couldn't help but wonder who else knew about the ordeal at her house the night before. It was hard to believe that twenty four hours before, she was lying in a pile of glass about to die. Her frazzled thoughts didn't keep her from sleeping; instead they fueled horrifying dreams of Charlie finding her and multiple scenes of her own death.

xXxXxXx

It took her many days to be able to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time. Sue had come by and changed her bandages, commenting on how bad the wounds looked. She only asked what had happened once and left the topic alone once Bella refused to answer. Bella knew that being in such a small town, people were likely to find out through rumor what Charlie had done. Once the state police took over, everyone would put the facts together and start whispering their own opinions.

She found out quickly that Jacob and his group of friends knew what happened that night leading her to yell at Paul for disrespecting her privacy. She almost left his house, had it not been for her inability to walk without pain, and threatened him with leaving for good if he kept opening his mouth. He was quick to apologize and promised an explanation soon.

Bella couldn't seem to keep still at the house and Paul didn't want to leave her alone in case Charlie did stop by. She was accompanied by one of the group members each day without being asked if she wanted the company. She felt as though she was always watched and brought up her feelings to Paul. He reassured her that she could do whatever she wanted, that the guys were for her protection, but it didn't help her own feelings.

She made her own routine by cleaning the house, little by little, and making food for the guys when they stopped over. Paul always complimented her cooking and the guys seemed to eat everything she made without batting an eyelash. She asked many questions about them the main one being that she didn't understand how they could go outside in just shorts. The wind whipped harshly and the temperature reached near freezing on a daily basis.

The boys shrugged off her questions by saying it was just something the tribe had. When she pointed out that Sue and the others walked about fully dressed, they laughed it off. Her frustrations made her question her own sanity and the sanity of the others but didn't press the issue. Paul still had to explain how each of them knew about the situation since he claimed he didn't tell them anything.

She stayed at Paul's for a few weeks, getting her strength back. In that time, after many confusing conversations with the state police, she found that Charlie had already been arrested and they were charging him based on her wounds alone. With the physical evidence, they knew they could get him locked away for at least three years and if he plead she wouldn't have to go to court.

The news about that made her happy and after excitedly telling Paul they celebrated at the diner. Jacob and his friends joined them, leaving Bella with a sense of déjà vu. The dinner was a happy affair, Sue's daughter joining them after her shift. Happy to talk to another girl instead of just the boys, Bella seemingly attached herself to Leah and asked her questions about each person in the group. Leah was eager to share what she knew and lead Bella to another booth for them to talk.

After a few hours, the group headed to Sam's house for coffee (hot cocoa for Bella) and a movie. They ended up at the beach after the movie, sparking an impromptu bon fire. Paul had grabbed extra blankets for Bella and sat her closest to the fire to keep warm. Each person told a story about the tribe, ones that Bella only heard from Jacob during their childhood summers together.

At the end of the stories, Sam looked at Paul and nodded to him. Paul moved so he was facing Bella and asked her to wait a moment for him. The others didn't seem worried so Bella bit her lip and agreed, watching as he disappeared into the woods. Moments later a large wolf emerged. Bella's eyes widened as she slowly backed up, yelling for the others to do the same. They looked at the wolf and chuckled, welcoming it to their fire.

Bella's heart pounded in her chest as the wolf inched closer, whining when she backed away. It lowered onto its belly and Leah walked over and scratched behind its ears. The grey fur looked soft and warm but Bella couldn't move as fear had taken over her muscle function.

She didn't register Sam moving toward her, kneeling beside her and taking her hand. "Bella, it's not what you think." He said softly, inching her closer to the wolf. "This is how we know what happened. Paul didn't mean for us to find out, he just couldn't keep us from seeing what was in his head."

She looked at them as if they were insane and stood, backing away slowly. "You're all nuts." She turned her back on them, and then heard the wolf whine again. She took a few steps away from the fire then felt a sudden pain in her wrists as she tripped over something in the sand and fell onto all fours.

The wolf leapt toward her, keeping her from fully hitting the sand. The group quickly picked her up and carried her over to the fire, letting Leah look her over. "Bella its Paul. The wolf is Paul." Leah whispered to her as she checked the stitches and her belly. "Technically, all of us here are wolves, besides you."

Bella furrowed her brows and opened her mouth before turning and vomiting beside her. She closed her eyes and passed out before anyone could say anything further.

A/N: Thank you for reading the third chapter in this revamped version of MBD. I hope you like it as much as I like writing it and hope to see more updates soon.


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